In a press release issued by the network's Executive Director, Mubarik Ibrahim Aar, yesterday, the network condemned the arrest of at least 21 of Hargeysa meat traders. The arrests were made by heavily armed police officers on March 15, 2007, after the meat traders demonstrated against the city’s doubling of abattoir fees.

The press release, published yesterday in the local media, said, "Somaliland National Human Rights Network is worried about the increasing deterioration of the constitutional rights of Somaliland citizens caused by government actions. The Network condemns, in the strongest terms, the imprisonment of Hargeysa meat traders. The meat traders were demonstrating peacefully when police armed with AK47s stormed the demonstration and arrested 21 persons (11 men and 10 women, including a mom who gave birth less than forty days ago, and a father who supported 11 children).

"The protesters were not involved in violence, but were exercising their right of freedom of speech and assembly that is guaranteed by the constitution. To make matters worse, at 5:30 PM, they were sentenced to six months in jail by the regional security committee which is an unconstitutional body that was outlawed by parliament,” the press release added.

The Umbrella network stressed that since the early this year, government actions have worsened Somaliland's human right situation. "On 02/01/2007, heavily armed police stormed the offices of Haatuf Newspaper and arrested staff and administrators. Also on January, the police arrested students and Mujahidins who demonstrated against the arrest of Haatuf journalists by the government," The network pointed out.

Finally, the national umbrella called for the Somaliland government to stop its violations of the citizen’s constitutional rights and to outlaw the security committees.

Source: Somaliland Times

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